The objective of this study is to assess the magnitude and characteristics of, and institutional influences on, black suburban homeownership. The analysis proceeds through four phases. In phase I, national data sources are examined to document the scale and characteristics of suburban black population growth for the 1960-76 period. Using census data, school district racial enrollment data, and interviews with knowledgeable county and community level informants in the State of New Jersey, phase II aims to develop a typology of suburban communities in which black homeownership is increasing. A multivariate analysis predicts suburban black growth at the municipality level, and longtudinal data on housing price behavior are related to black growth rates. Phase III addresses black-white differences in the home purchase experience through interviews with white and black recent homebuyers in five New Jersey communities (total N equals 1000). Interviews focus on search method, information sources, real estate agent activity, financing, and socioeconomic characteristics. Institutional influences are examined in phase IV, through interviews with real estate brokers and financial institutions serving predominantly black, mixed, and predominantly white communities throughout the state. Implications for public policy are assessed throughout the study.